Kierra Harrison Foundation

Gabrielle And Michelle Poole

3 months

Survivors

Michelle(Left) Gabbi (Right)

Why Gabbi is Gabbi

Shaken Baby Syndrome Discussion June 11, 2001
"Never Never Shake A Baby!!"

Those were the words of Michele Poole as she addressed the Westchester Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect (WTFCAN) on June 11, 2001. Members of the Task Force, as well as representatives of a wide range of community and government agencies, had gathered at MHA to hear Ms. Poole speak about Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS).

Ms. Poole, a grandmother and now adoptive mother of 7-year-old twin girls, had never heard about Shaken Baby Syndrome until her granddaughter, Gabbi, suffered severe neurological and medical damage as a result of having been shaken. Ms. Poole has since dedicated herself to educating individuals about Shaken Baby Syndrome in order to prevent its occurrence.

Symptoms and Results

Ms. Poole noted that babies are most likely to be shaken when caregivers become more frustrated than they can deal with - usually because a baby is crying without stopping. She described the signs and symptoms of SBS which include lethargy and limpness or extreme irritability, seizures, semi-consciousness, difficulty breathing, and dilated pupils as well as other symptoms.

She also described medical findings of SBS, and the syndrome of damage that she refers to as a "Lifetime Sentence of Disabilities". These include permanent brain damage, seizures, paralysis, blindness and hearing loss, developmental delays, and speech, eating and learning difficulties.

SBS Can Be Prevented

Focusing on prevention, Ms. Poole addressed how to cope with a crying baby as well as parents' tips for choosing and using daycare providers. Realizing that crying babies can frustrate caregivers beyond their limits, Ms. Poole recommends that after seeing to a baby's basic needs (food, dry diaper, appropriate clothing), a caregiver who is becoming frustrated should put the baby down in a safe place and take a break to calm him or herself.

She suggests using licensed day care providers whose references and history of complaints have been checked and keeping a log of the child's state at drop-off and pick-up times. Ms. Poole realizes that many people are unaware of the extreme and permanent damage that can be caused by shaking a baby. She is working to reduce that number.

Other Resources

The Westchester Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect is co-sponsored by the Mental Health Association of Westchester (MHA) and by the Child Care Council of Westchester (CCC).

To learn more about WTFCAN, please contact Barbara Bernstein, Co-Chair WTFCAN, Director, Education and Training, MHA, 914-345-3993 extension 209 or via e-mail at BernsteB@mhawestchester.org or Lottie Harris, Co-Chair WTFCAN, Executive Director CCC, 914-761-3456.